Guava and Chipotle BBQ Chicken and White Bean Salad

Today I decided to surprise Robert with a nice little lunch to go with this amazing weather we’ve been having. One of the things my grandma likes to add to any of her barbeque is a fruit jam or jelly; I know it sounds odd but she makes some amazing BBQ, so my hat’s off to her!

I also wanted to add a simple, fresh salad to go along with the chicken, so I opted for a white bean salad with a red wine vinaigrette. Robert and I are (or were supposed to be) competing against each other to lose weight before summertime, and so far he’s winning. Sigh! Guess i better get my credit card ready…

Both these recipes are fairly simple, and you can add or subtract anything to your own tastes.

If using the broiler, cover a sheet pan with foil and (very lightly) grease it. Drain the excess marinade from the chicken and place flat on sheet pan, and broil 7 minutes on each side. Coat chicken with reserved marinade after turning, and when done, turn the chicken and coat again. Let rest at least 5 minutes before enjoying!

If using a grill, oil your grill and cook chicken 7 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade until fully cooked. Let chicken rest at least 5 minutes before eating.

Simple White Bean Salad

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, stems removed, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, medium dice

1 oz shallots, sliced thinly

1 medium can white beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 oz fresh basil, chiffonade

2 oz red wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

3-4 oz olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Make your vinaigrette: whisk together red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and spices, then stream in olive oil and whisk until completely emulsified. Toss in your mushrooms, bell pepper, tomato, shallot, white beans, and basil, toss until everything is coated in vinaigrette. Taste to check for proper seasoning, then chill until ready to eat.